Hope's POV.
The fluorescent glow of the medical center casts long shadows across the pavement as the four of us cross the parking lot. I keep my gaze low, deliberately steering the others away from the Emergency Room entrance. I can't bring myself to look at it. Just the sight of the double doors brings a lump to my throat.
This place had once been my sanctuary — my purpose. A life filled with midnight shifts, tired laughter in the breakroom, and the kind of adrenaline that has nothing to do with hunters or fangs. My old life comes rushing back in painful clarity, and I'm hit with an unexpected wave of longing.
I hadn’t realized how much I missed it. My job. My friends. The life I'd built for myself before everything changed. I don't regret choosing the pack. I don't regret choosing Mal
